Sister Carrie

When Hurstwood’s wife, agitated and suspicious, confronts her husband over his unwillingness to plan a family vacation, Hurstwood fires back that she is trying to run the family and him. “You don’t regulate anything that is connected to me” (134), he says as he storms out of the house.

Meanwhile, Drouet backpedals on his decision to marry Carrie. When he leaves town, Carrie departs to meet Hurstwood. Drouet returns early and, after pestering the maid, finds out that Carrie and Hurstwood have been getting together when he is out of town. Drouet is determined to find the truth of it.

Hurstwood meets Carrie and promises to marry her if she agrees to run away with him. He convinces her to meet him on Saturday. “If you will marry me then,” Carrie replies, “I’ll go” (142). After he departs, she decides she will be with her “handsome adorer,” and that they will go away and “be happy” (142).

Hurstwood’s wife is told by her doctor that he saw her husband driving about town with a young girl. She then hears about the lodge play and Carrie’s show-stopping performance. When she confronts Hurstwood with her accusation, Hurstwood denies everything. But when his wife threatens to hire a lawyer, he understands he is in trouble: “He cannot contest her, cannot demand proof, for there would be an abundance, and he could not attack” (150).